322 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND 



themselves in a very large proportion, but yet in a most decent 

 manner, cover a very great part of the walls of the South side 

 of the said Manor House, being a very great and munificent 

 ornament thereunto ; into which little courts there are several 

 descents of 16 steps from the said alley ; in one of which courts 

 there is an oval cistern of lead, set about with stone, having a 

 pipe of lead in it ; the outward walls of which little courts are 

 planted with young Figtrees ; the profits and contents of which 

 little courts are comprised in the aforesaid yearly value and 

 admeasurement of the said Upper or Higher Garden ; but we 

 value the said oval cistern at two pounds, and the said 3 great 

 Fig-trees and other young Fig-trees at twelve pounds ten shillings, 

 and the said free-stone rails at, in all, £34. 10s. 

 Birdcage ^ ne °t ner °f the said little courts is fitted with a birdcage, 

 Fountain, having three open turrets, very well wrought for the sitting and 

 perching of birds ; and also having standing in it one very fair 

 and handsome fountain, with three cisterns of lead belonging to 

 it, and many several small pipes of lead, gilded, which, when they 

 flow and fall into the cisterns, make a pleasant noise. The 

 turrets, fountain, and little court are all covered with strong 

 iron wire, and lie directly under the windows of the two rooms 

 of the said Manor House called the Balcony Room and the Lord's 

 Chamber ; from which Balcony Room, one pavement of black 

 and white marble containing 104 foot, railed with rails of wood 

 on each side thereof, extends itself into the said alley over the 

 middle of the said birdcage. This birdcage is a great ornament 

 both to the House and Garden ; the materials whereof and the 

 said fountains and cistern, and the said marble pavement and 

 rails, we value to be worth in the whole at £25. 4s. 

 Tarras. In the height of the said Higher Level there is one fair green 

 [Terrace.] tarras or walk, very well turfed, extending itself two hundred and 

 thirty yards from East to West, and containing twenty-five foot 

 in the breadth thereof ; the North side whereof is planted with 

 lime trees of very good bulks, and of a very high growth, growing, 

 both tops, bodies, and branches, in a most uniform and regular 

 manner ; the height whereof, being perspicuous to the country 

 round about, renders them a very special ornament to the whole 

 house. The south side of the said turfed tarras is planted with 

 Elms, betwixt every one whereof grows a Cypress tree, well 

 planted and ordered, much adorning and setting forth the com- 

 pleteness of the tarras ; besides which there are on either side of 

 the said tarras, betwixt every tree, borders of box, very well 

 ordered, adding also a further ornament thereunto ; which tarras 

 and borders we value to be worth £17. 2s. 6d. 

 At the east end of the said turf tarras there stands one fair 



